The weather seal of the type of interest here is used around windows, doors and other closures to exclude moisture and drafts and generally to conserve energy. A weather seal includes a backing strip to which is secured a raised pile body composed of a multiplicity of closely packed fibers. The backing strip is normally inserted into a channel secured to structure adjacent to the closure so that the pile fibers engage the window or door. The weather seal thus bridges the gap between the fixed structure and the closure, yet permits the closure to move as it is being opened and closed.
Some pile weather stripping also includes a raised fin made of plastic or other impervious material which projects up from the backing strip adjacent to and on the weather side of the pile body to prevent moisture and drafts from penetrating into the pile body and causing the build-up of mold and mildew therein. One such weather stripping of this type is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,404,487 owned by the assignee of the present application. The present weather seal is of that general type.
Prior weather strips of the fin type are disadvantaged in that it is relatively difficult to form the raised fin as an extrusion at one side of the pile body as described in the aforesaid patent. Consequently, those weather strips tend to be relatively expensive.
It would be advantageous to form the fin using a plastic film attached to the backing strip at the weather side of the pile body. However, prior attempts in this direction have been less than satisfactory. This is because the film, being flexible and supported only at one side by the pile body, tends to bend and curl away from the pile body after prolonged usage and exposure to the elements. Consequently, the film barrier no longer adequately performs its draft and moisture excluding functions.
Also, the prior weather stripping of this general type is fairly difficult to install as an add-on by the average home handyman which is quite undesirable in today's energy conscious atmosphere.